I have made a submission for a prestigious designation – Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) and need your help, please.

The requirements to be awarded the CSP designation include ten years in the speaking business, 250 verified presentations, a presentation video, and specific income requirements.

During January and February. Sarah Best, sarah@nsaspeaker.org, will be in contact with my clients either by phone or e-mail to verify the presentations I have listed on my submission. If she contacts you, I’d be grateful if you’d respond to her inquiry.

In the world of storytelling, a piece of information revealed to us before we need to know it can ruin the experience. In the world of business, the earlier we know something that affects us directly or indirectly the better our experience.

Too frequently I hear employees say with exasperation, “I just found out about….” The end of the statement may be staffing, office environment, product or technology changes, vendor partnerships, or client relationships. Things that matter.

More times than not, the manager knew the information ahead of time and failed to communicate it. The time gap between information known by a leader and staff communication can affect morale and productivity. Even worse is when the information arrives via grapevine when facts can easily get altered.

Some managers believe telling employees too early about a situation causes stress. On the contrary, alerting the team in a timely, forthright, and formal manner builds organizational and personal trust.

I’m frustrated with people who say, “I can’t change.” What they mean is “I won’t change because…..” Fill in the blank with whatever excuse you can think of. No time, too old, too young, children, lack of education or skills – the list goes on. People state excuses to mask the real culprit – fear. Fear is an acronym that stands for Fantasized Experiences Appearing Real. Fear stops people from pursuing their dreams and goals.

If you are stuck and unable to change, give this exercise a try. Think of one of your excuses that stopped you from pursuing something you wanted. For example, you may want a higher-level job to earn more money, but don’t have the credentials. Perhaps you’re single and always wanted to have a child, but are worried what others will think. You want to move to another area, but believe that your family will be upset.

Overcoming the fear of change is a process. The first step is to ask yourself – and answer – some tough questions.

Did you ever try to overcome your belief (excuse)? If so, what happened? Why? Have things changed since then?

Are you blaming others as an excuse for your current situation?

Have you reached out to people who had the same challenge and did succeed?

Are you spending time with people who are moving forward in a variety of ways?

Will you ask your family and friends for support?

The answers to these questions will provide perspective. Slowly, fear will be replaced with a how-to attitude and action plan. Once you start moving forward, momentum builds and before long you are on the road to getting what you truly want.

December is the big month for family and friend gatherings. “What can I bring?” you ask your host. If the answer is an appetizer, Goat Cheese, Ricotta and Pesto Terrine is one of my favorites sure to impress guests. Make it a day ahead for both convenience and enhanced flavor.

In my September 2016 newsletter I told you about Larry, the 90-year old resident of my mom’s retirement community in Arizona. Lucky me to run into Larry again on a recent morning walk! As before, he was dressed appropriately for the hot weather and had a bag to pick up trash. Last year, Larry left me with wisdom for all ages. He told me, ”push yourself today.”

Larry remembered talking with me year ago. I asked him what advice he had for me this time. Without hesitation, Larry said, “Every day try something new. It’s okay if it doesn’t work out or you don’t like it. Life is about reaching higher every day.”

“We feel like we don’t matter. Our office needs to have light bulbs changed and a new microwave. We’ve been asking for months and things just don’t get done.” Insurance professional from a branch location

“Turned out the dirty refrigerator and messy breakroom were reliable indicators of employee attitudes and work ethic. I had to leave.” Insurance professional’s remark to me on why she left a past employer.

American psychologist Frederick Herzberg (1923-2000) proposed the motivator-hygiene theory in 1968. In summary, people are influenced by two sets of factors in the workplace. Motivators are intrinsic and include challenging work, job recognition and promotion potential. Hygiene factors are external. It’s what people expect in their workplace such as a clean work environment, functioning office equipment, respectful interpersonal relationships, and a fair salary and benefits. Hygiene factors will not motivate. However, if employee hygiene expectations are not met, these office environment factors will lower motivation, satisfaction, and can cause good people to leave.

Step back and assess the condition, cleanliness, and general maintenance of your office. I’ve seen years-old proposal binders sitting in corners of conference rooms, dying plants in common areas, glass doors in need of thorough cleaning, and yes, refrigerators that I wouldn’t want to use.

Pay attention to the small stuff. It affects and reflects the pride, quality, and service of your business.

As cooler weather rolls in, I love to make dishes that fill the house with fragrant smells. Chicken Marbella fits that description perfectly. We’ve posted it before, but if you haven’t tried it, give it try. Prunes, olives, and capers are an unusual and delicious combination. It’s easy to make. Marinate overnight and cooks in the oven. Enjoy!

We have lots of other Josmo’s Cafe recipes on the website. All dishes have been taste tested many, many times!

In case you missed it last month, you can still view John’s most recent building project! He went big! Rather than building another model-size remote-controlled boat, John hand built a gorgeous wooden kayak. See pictures and a video of his exceptional craftsmanship!

If a neighbor is nice to you, you are nice to them. If you ask a friend for a favor, you reciprocate sometime later. When you invite a person to an event or out for a meal, you expect the other person to initiate an invitation later. One problem with that is that life doesn’t always work out that way.

Sometime ago, I decided to quit keeping score. As level-headed John puts it, some people are callers and others are callees. We have friends we totally enjoy, but we seem to be the ones who always initiate connecting.

Not keeping score has been a blessing. It’s enabled me to be sincere in what I do without thinking of how it will be reciprocated. I’m grateful for what’s offered to me without self-imposed beliefs of what I should do in return.

If you’re a scorekeeper, try not keeping score and see where your heart takes you.

In 2011, psychologists labeled this concept the Ikea effect. A series of experiments with Legos and origami showed that people find more satisfaction in things they create than in the same outcome created by others. Haven’t you found that assembling your own Ikea furniture, while certainly frustrating and a challenge, provides us enormous pride and satisfaction when it is finished?

The acknowledging part is critical to motivation. Recognize effort, not just positive results. Not all we put our hearts, souls, and time into leads to short-term successful outcomes. However, in the long term, it’s workplaces who value meaningful work that have happier, more productive employees which translates into greater profits.

Yippee! It’s pumpkin season! I love all things pumpkin! I adapted a few pumpkin muffin recipes to come up with just the right blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in my Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin recipe. Hope you enjoy!

We have lots of other Josmo’s Cafe recipes on the website. All dishes have been taste tested many, many times!

Check out John’s most recent amazing project! He went big! Rather than building another model-size remote-controlled boat, John hand built a gorgeous wooden kayak! Check out the pictures of his exceptional craftmanship on this work of art. It paddles beautifully!

What a pleasure it is for me to work with professionals eager to learn new skills, expand knowledge, and build confidence – all of which assure long-term career success. Here’s a list of proven development resources that I recommend to people who boldly take charge of their future.

Toastmasters – A learn-by-doing organization in which participants hone their speaking and leadership skills in a no-pressure atmosphere. Members meet weekly or bi-weekly to speak, evaluate others, and learn fundamental speaking protocols. I was a dedicated member for five years.

Soundview Executive Book Summaries – An online subscription provides monthly business book summaries and a variety of free webinars by well-known business authors and experts. Annual cost is less than $200.00. A valuable investment!

Fred Pryor Seminars – Courses cover a broad spectrum of development topics by professional instructors through live seminars and online. I’m a member of their Training Rewards program which provides unlimited annual access to both live and online materials.

TED Talks – Conceived in 1984, the original focus was Technology, Entertainment, Design. TED’s slogan is “ideas worth spreading.” Thousands of talks, each limited to 18 minutes or less, have been posted for free distribution over the past 25 years. Presenters have expanded to include business experts, scientists, educators, inventors, philosophers, musicians, religious leaders, philanthropists, and many others. An abundance of interesting and thought-provoking information.

Community leadership – Many Chamber of Commerce affiliates sponsor a leadership training program for emerging and existing leaders. The purpose is to develop community volunteer leadership by increasing participants’ community knowledge, civic network, and awareness of service opportunities. Ask your local Chamber if they have or can start a program similar to Leadership Charlotte.

Which of these will you begin this fall? I’d love to hear from you if you want to share your personal experiences with any of these great programs.

Our squirrel-proof bird feeder hangs in view of our screened porch where we spend most of our leisure time. Our house is surrounded by trees so we have dozens of birds who frequently stop by. We delight in seeing cardinals, woodpeckers, goldfinches, tufted titmouses, house wrens and chickadees. We have so many regulars that our large bird feeder needs to be refilled every three days.

We were on vacation in June for 12 days. John filled the feeder the morning we left. By the time we returned, the bird feeder had been empty for at least 9 days. John refilled the feeder within an hour of getting home. A day went by. Two days. Very few birds were returning. It wasn’t until a few days later that our regulars were back. They had forgotten about us and were finding food elsewhere.

Moral of the story: When we ignore the needs of our clients, they will go elsewhere. Never let your visibility and value dry up. Newsletters, posts on social media, and “I’m thinking about you” phone calls will assure you stay in your clients’ minds to avoid their looking elsewhere.

Speaking of social media visibility, I was fortunate to meet Mike Demko, CEO & founder of www.myinsurancevideos.com at Elevate17. His company offers daily “Awesome Social Media” posts for agents to upload to their social media. The posts are relevant, fresh, and fun! Watch this short video to see sample posts and subscribe.

Frequent newsletter readers know how much I enjoy and value my subscription to Soundview Executive Book Summaries. In July, Ken Blanchard, author of the 1982 classic One Minute Manager and 60 other books, presented a relevant and thought-provoking webinar The Four Habits of Servant Leadership. The four habits, Dr. Blanchard explains, are heart, head, hands, and habits. Here are some of my takeaways.

The number one habit is heart. It is the ability to lead from the inside out. Understanding that you are there to serve and support others is servant leadership. Ego-driven pride and self-doubt are the Achilles heel of leaders. The antidotes to ego and self-doubt are humility and feeling valued.

The head is the visionary aspect of leadership. Dr. Blanchard explains that once the vision, values, and focus are established and articulated, the servant leader’s role changes to cheerleader and encourager holding others accountable for the implementation. Being responsive and available to others is servant leadership.

The hands habit addresses planning, day-to-day coaching, and performance evaluation. Dr. Blanchard emphasizes that servant leadership is not doing the front-line work yourself, it’s assisting others in successful completion of the tasks at hand through clear direction, effective coaching and valuable feedback. He emphasizes coaching is not critiquing.

Habits, the fourth quality, are what a servant leader personally does on a frequent basis to recalibrate commitment to the organization’s missions and values. The five habits are solitude, sleep and rest, study of servant leadership, unconditional love, relationship accountability.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find one specific book by Ken Blanchard on this. His principles are scattered among his many writings. Learn more about Ken Blanchard, his philosophy and approach on his website.

John and I had a most wonderful visit to Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic home built over a waterfall in the 1930’s for the Kaufmann family. We stayed close by at a terrific bed and breakfast and were served Honey Oven-Baked French Toast our recipe of the month There is a story behind my making it on the recipe page. Enjoy!

After months of anticipation for Agency Nation’s Elevate 17 conference, the sold-out event was an overwhelming success! For those who didn’t attend, here are some highlights with links to valuable business-building information.

Designing Your Agency Customer Experience was a compelling learning session. Jeff Bair, Head of IA and Affinity Marketing with Foremost Insurance Group, shared with us the four-step process designed by Foremost for agencies to examine and design effective strategies to work with different personas of customers. There is a DIY workbook that Foremost has generously offered to provide my newsletter readers. To learn more and request your copy, please e-mail Brian Leppard at Foremost.

I’ve made yummy Potatoes with Parmesan, Rosemary, and Garlic twice in the past month for company so I thought I would feature it again. So easy using non-stick foil and putting on the grill for 20 minutes. Make up the packets ahead of company arriving so you can kick back with your guests!

Steve Martin and Martin Short live on stage! We scored tickets to the one performance they had in Charlotte on a Saturday night at a very nice performing arts theater. Our mezzanine seats were expensive. $189.00 each plus those exorbitant ticketing fees. John and I dressed nicely for our special evening out.

No surprise that one of the bits they did was about the Three Amigos. They selected three men from the audience to be on stage. As they handed the men their Amigo hats, Martin Short said to the one man dressed in crumpled cargo shorts and a tee shirt, “I’m curious. What do you wear when you go bowling?” The audience roared with laughter. Funny, I had been wondering the same thing.

Moral of the story. We do judge books by their covers. A person’s attire should show self-awareness and confidence, the respect a person has for others, and how tuned in a person is to social appropriateness. Think through your apparel choices and the statement they make.

For twenty-three years I’ve been teaching the Agency Management curriculum for The Society of CIC. During the agency planning portion of the institute, participants brainstorm how to grow personal lines. I hope their list and a few of my own ideas help you grow your business!

Develop and list the five reasons why your agency and agents should be the agent of choice. (Hint: personal touch, provide advice and recommendations, local in the community, one-stop shop, guide and advocate at claim time.)

Nothing screams early summer louder than fresh strawberries! Fresh Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Goat Cheese is one of my favorite from North Carolina’s Our State magazine. I have even served the marinated goat cheese with crackers as an appetizer on several occasions. Enjoy!

I’ve heard from dozens of readers who will be at Elevate 2017. I look forward to seeing everyone! Agency Nation’s Ryan Hanley interviewed me about my presentation Leading with Certainty. Please enjoy the podcast!

It’s been almost six years since my mom, 90 years young and doing very well, has lived at the beautiful continuing care retirement community The Forum at Desert Harbor in Peoria, AZ. My lovely early morning walks continue during my frequent visits.

April is my favorite month in Arizona. The six-foot tall decorative bushes on my walking path are bursting with vivid red, pink, and white blossoms against the backdrop of bright green leaves. I didn’t think I’d see that again. Five years ago, I sadly watched gardeners trim back those same bushes to about six inches after a harsh early spring freeze. Drastic pruning and cutting back was essential for the future growth of those bushes.

The same holds true in our lives. What needs to be pruned from your life to nourish future health and personal growth? Negative people? Self-defeating thoughts? Job that doesn’t nurture you anymore? Unhealthy habits? Traditions that have become a burden?

This spring, please take time to assess what needs to change in your life so that in five years (or less) you can blossom like never before!

Convention season is getting into full swing this month. Whether you are an attendee or staffing your company’s exhibit booth, here are some reminders to make your networking professional, productive, and profitable.

Download the event mobile app. Sign in to set up your profile. Load your contact information and include your picture. Use the My Agenda feature to make it easy to set up and access your schedule and location of sessions.

Business cards. Be sure all your information is correct, always carry them with you, and take plenty.

Before the event, reach out to contacts either through the app or a personal e-mail to let them know you’ll be there and looking forward to visiting.

Have a team meeting with those attending with you and/or staffing the booth. What sessions will you each attend to maximize learning? Discuss how to greet people, what questions to ask, and what information to offer. Review how to introduce yourself, your company, and make proper introductions.

Decide what you will post on social media before, while attending, and after the event. Be sure to post on your individual and company business channels and the event channels.

Build your reputation. Be approachable. Smile. Offer a firm handshake with eye contact. Be interested in what others do. Offer and accept business cards.

Review the attendee list. Make a list of ten or more prospects and clients to see. Ahead of the event, set up appointments to meet, if possible.

Be the first to arrive and the last to leave networking events. The best connections are made when the crowds are thin. If you have an exhibit booth, be sure it’s staffed at all times. It doesn’t look good for attendees to see an empty booth.

Guidelines for eating or drinking in an exhibit hall. Don’t drink liquor at your booth. Don’t eat at your booth. People may not stop if you are eating. Avoid walking around with a food plate. Usually there are café tables or an area to sit and eat. This provides a great opportunity to meet new people.

Debrief back at the office. What did you learn? What will you do with the information gathered or contacts made? What would you do differently next year?

Career-building contacts can be made at industry events. Make the most of your convention experience and have fun!

John has a new remote-controlled model boat! Combining talent, skill, and the patience of a saint, John has created another amazing model boat. To view John’s slideshow of the building his PT 109 and video of him running it, click on these links Building the 109 and The PT109 in action.

No, this story isn’t about WikiLeaks or unnamed sources. It’s about providing great customer service.

Valvoline Instant Oil Change in Mooresville, NC has been servicing my cars for oil changes and inspections for over 15 years. The service is fast, the waiting area is clean (not that I wait long), and their service team is friendly. I took my car in last week for the annual state inspection. When I paid the bill, the service man said, “By the way, we noticed there is an oil leak. If you haven’t had it checked out, we suggest you do.” I wasn’t aware of an oil leak and thanked him for mentioning it. I’ve since taken the car to our mechanic and the problem has been fixed.

What a customer-focused thing to do when servicing an account! Pay attention to what’s not right, needs attention, or mention something new the customer would benefit from. Begin with saying “By the way.” It’s non-threatening. It’s simply having your customer’s best interest in mind.

Turning age 21, Kevin was excited he could legally drink. He decided to conduct an experiment to identify what would be his preferred stiff drink.

He bought bottles of whiskey, scotch, and rye. The first night he drank whiskey and water. The next morning, he woke with a smashing headache. The second night he drank scotch and water. The next morning, he woke with a smashing headache. The third night he drank rye and water. The next morning, he woke with a smashing headache.

He really liked all the liquor – the whiskey, the scotch, and the rye. The revelation? No matter which liquor he chose, one thing was obvious. To avoid a hangover, he shouldn’t mix any of them with water.

Moral of the story: It can be dangerous to jump to conclusions without digging into facts.

John has a new remote-controlled model boat! Combining talent, skill, and the patience of a saint, John has created another amazing model boat. To view John’s slideshow of the building his PT 109 and video of him running it, click on these links Building the 109 and The PT109 in action.

It’s tempting to get caught up in the notion that sales success only comes from edging out the competition to close the deal and get a big paycheck. Not so. One of my favorite business books is the The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann. The parable tells the story of Joe, an ambitious go-getter, who learns Five Laws of Stratospheric Success that transform his perspective from getting to giving.

Principle #3 is the Law of Influence which states that your influence is determined by how frequently you place other people’s interests first. A client of mine, an independent agent, demonstrated this principle. It’s a story worth telling.

Rich was working hard on a new large account. He easily uncovered ways to provide better coverage, much needed loss control services, and improved service. The buyer wanted him to write the business. There was a catch. This was the bulk of the income of the current agent, a close friend of the buyer. The buyer just couldn’t bring himself to cause pain to his friend. Rich knew it was in the buyer’s best business interest to move the risk to a company that could properly insure it. Applying the Law of Influence, Rich offered to write the account foregoing any compensation for one year, arranging it so the current agent would get that commission. The buyer could give his friend a year to adjust to losing that income. I wasn’t surprised when I heard the story. I’m convinced Rich was the role model for the book since he consistently epitomizes each of the five principles. What a fine way to live life!

They Ask You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today’s Digital Consumer is the most valuable business growth strategy book I’ve read in years. Using the foundation of telling his personal compelling story of how he saved his swimming pool company, Marcus Sheridan gives us a step-by-step blueprint on how to execute content marketing in any organization. He practices what he preaches in the book. He teaches us by answering questions he knows we will ask, he provides supporting data, client success stories, and addresses how to overcome implementation challenges. I read the book on my Kindle (an easy and fast read) and found I was highlighting something on every page.

I am excited that I will meet Marcus Sheridan and hear him speak in Milwaukee June 4-6, for Elevate 2017. This fast-paced, high-content live conference, hosted by Agency Nation, is dedicated to educating, entertaining, and inspiring insurance professionals to improve theircustomers’ experience through sales, marketing and technology. Please join us! Receive $200.00 off the registration fee by using “cybermonday” as the coupon code.

John has a new remote-controlled model boat! Combining talent, skill, and the patience of a saint, John has created another amazing model boat. To view John’s slideshow of the building his PT 109 and video of him running it, click on these links Building the 109 and The PT109 in action.